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Despite tariffs, US manufacturing climbs upward in November

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Despite concern about tariffs, manufacturing customer orders surged in November as production rose, stirring companies to hire more workers or ask current employees to work more overtime, the Institute for Supply Management says industry leaders told them in November.

Despite U.S. tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum, prices for those key materials declined, executives said.

Business has gotten stronger toward the end of 2018 despite higher costs from tariffs and a shortage of skilled labor and truckers to carry their goods, causing the ISM manufacturing index to reach a 59.3% in November.

A rate over 50% indicates industry expansion in the industry.

Overall, the ISM manufacturing index has been headed upward since mid 2016.